Data processing systems, e.g., desktop computers, laptop computers, personal digital assistants, and the like, use display devices (e.g., computer monitors) to show still and moving images on a screen. Graphical user interfaces are created for a user to interact with a data processing system using various images, e.g., icons, windows, text characters, and other objects. Images shown on a screen of a display device may represent programs, files, folders, or other items, e.g., an application launcher (e.g., a “dock interface”). For example, by positioning a pointer (“cursor”) to an icon and pressing a mouse button, the user executes a command, opens a file represented by the icon into a window, moves the icon around the display screen, or launches an application program. Typically, a user operates the application program executed by a processor through one or more windows displayed on the screen of the display device.
The docking interface (“Dock” such as the dock displayed on Macintosh computers which run Macintosh OS 10.2 or 10.3 or 10.4, etc.) is a graphical user interface that contains icons for frequently used programs. The Dock may indicate the program's current state (e.g., running or not running). The Dock may indicate the current state of the program by showing a symbol, e.g., an ellipsis, or triangle, below or adjacent its icon if the program is not running and nothing if it is currently running.
Typically, positioning a cursor over the icon in the Dock that represents non-operating application program and pressing the mouse button causes the non-operating application to launch. Typically, positioning the cursor over the icon in the Dock that represents an executing application program and pressing the mouse button brings the executing application program to the front of the screen.
As the performance of data processing systems increases, efficient use of the screen space of the display device becomes important. This is especially important for data processing systems having relatively small screens, e.g., laptop computers and personal digital assistants (PDAs).